title: Segmental tibial fractures treated with interlocking nails. A retrospective study of 33 cases.
abstract: We treated 33 segmental tibial fractures with interlocking nails between 1986 and 1991. All fractures were managed with calcaneal traction, closed reduction, reaming and fixation with a Grosse-Kempf interlocking nail. The patients were followed for at least 15 months. The mean duration to union was 17 (12-20) weeks for the distal fractures and 20 (12-34) weeks for the proximal ones. There were only 3 cases of delayed union of the proximal fracture, 2 of which united after dynamization by removal of distal screws and 1 after autogenous bone grafting. There were 2 cases of deep infection, which were diagnosed after the fractures were united. The infection was treated with removal of the nail, reaming, and antibiotic treatment intravenously for 2 weeks and orally for 4 weeks. All patients returned to their previous activity level. We conclude that segmental tibial fractures can be treated with an interlocking nail and have a high rate of union and a low complication rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome